★ Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud (Saturday through Monday) Club culture meets Martha Graham in Ms. Bengolea and Mr. Chaignaud’s “altered natives’ Say Yes to Another Excess — Twerk,” part of the monthlong series Danse: A French-American Festival of Performance and Ideas. D.J.s Elijah and Skilliam, staples of the London grime scene, conjure an environment where choreography meets uninhibited popular dance. At 8 p.m., the Kitchen, 512 West 19th Street, Chelsea, 212-255-5793, thekitchen.org; $20, $16 for students. (Brian Schaefer)

Boogie Down Dance Series: Bronx-Centric (Saturday) This monthlong series kicks off with an evening focused on the spirit and talent of the Bronx, featuring Sage Rivera, Ranardo-Domeico Grays’s Visions Contemporary Ballet, Nelida Tirado and Alice Teirstein, and others. (The series continues with various performers on weekends through May 31.) At 8 p.m., Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, 2474 Westchester Avenue, at St. Peters Avenue, 718-918-2110, baadbronx.org; $20, $15 for students. (Schaefer)

Alain Buffard (Friday and Saturday) The raucous spirit of Baron Samedi, a mischief-making figure in Haitian voodoo, courses through Mr. Buffard’s dance-theater work of the same name. Mr. Buffard, who died in December, was known for finding levity in darkness, and “Baron Samedi,” described in press materials as a “choreographed opera,” should capture those opposing forces. The cast includes Nadia Beugré, Will Rawls and David Thomson as well as the musicians Sarah Murcia and Seb Martel, who will play Kurt Weill’s score. Part of the new series Danse: A French-American Festival of Performance and Ideas. At 7:30 p.m., New York Live Arts, 219 West 19th Street, Chelsea, 212-924-0077, newyorklivearts.org; $15 to $20. (Siobhan Burke)

★ Cincinnati Ballet (Tuesday through May 11) This troupe returns to New York, making its Joyce Theater debut and celebrating its 50th anniversary, for the first time in 35 years, bringing with it a program intended to show off its vigor and versatility. The British rocker Peter Frampton, a Cincinnati resident for over a decade, was commissioned to create several original songs for “Hummingbird in a Box,” by the company’s resident choreographer Adam Hougland. From Trey McIntyre comes the high-energy “Chasing Squirrel,” and Val Caniparoli contributes the Paganini-inspired “Caprice.” Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday and next Friday at 8 p.m., May 10 at 2 and 8 p.m., May 11 at 2 p.m., 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea, 212-242-0800, joyce.org; $10 to $49. (Schaefer)

Compagnie Affari Esteri (Friday through Sunday) Ten years ago, the Italian choreographer Edmond Russo and the Israeli choreographer Shlomi Tuizer founded Affari Esteri (“foreign affairs” in Mr. Russo’s native tongue). As part of both the La MaMa Moves! Dance Festival and Danse: A French-American Festival of Performance and Ideas, the pair present “Embrace,” a highly theoretical reflection on the malleable qualities of identity. Christina Clark, a poet, and the musician Oren Bloedow join them to make it a four-way conversation. Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m., Sunday at 5:30 p.m., the Club at La MaMa, 74A East Fourth Street, East Village, 212-475-7710, lamama.org; $10 to $15. (Schaefer)

Dance Against Cancer Benefit for American Cancer Society (Monday) A benefit of fund-raising concerts is the mingling of great performers. Here, the fight against cancer brings together principal dancers from American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet and the Paul Taylor Dance Company, as well as the thrilling jookin dancer Lil Buck, among others. Works by Balanchine, Justin Peck and a premiere by Brian Reeder are on the bill. At 7 p.m., AXA Equitable Theater, 787 Seventh Avenue, at 51st Street, 212-237-3896, dacny.org; $150. (Schaefer)

Dancing for Japan 2014: Earthquake/Tsunami relief benefit (Wednesday) In 2011, Japan was jolted by the largest earthquake to hit the country. The related tsunami and nuclear meltdown not only devastated parts of the country, but also caused tens of thousands of casualties. Three years later, the country is still grappling with its recovery efforts. To aid those affected, the dancer Miki Orihara has organized a benefit concert featuring an impressive lineup of Japanese artists and choreographers. At 7:30 p.m., La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theater, 66 East Fourth Street, East Village, 212-475-7710, lamama.org; $25. (Schaefer)

Nancy Ferragallo (Thursdays through Sundays) Taking inspiration from the theatrical quilt perfected by Pina Bausch — combining monologue, dialogue and movement that’s simultaneously intimate, intricate and uninhibited — Ms. Ferragallo tells the story of a daughter growing up with a schizophrenic mother in “Charlotte’s Song.” In that work, based on her own experiences, the mother’s inner life is danced (and co-choreographed) by Celeste Hastings, who often draws on the disquieting style of Butoh. (Through May 11.) Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, at Ninth Street, East Village, 212-254-1109, theaterforthenewcity.net; $12. (Schaefer)

★ Miguel Gutierrez (through Sunday) Aging gracefully is always the goal, rarely the reality — particularly for those who tend to fetishize youth and beauty. In his contribution to the 2014 Whitney Biennial, Mr. Gutierrez grapples with being an aging gay artist. The title of the duet (the first of a three-part series) is self-explanatory — “Age & Beauty Part 1: Mid-Career Artist/Suicide Note or & :-/” — but it’s really the concluding emoticon that says it all. Friday at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., Whitney Museum of American Art, 212-570-3600, whitney.org; $20; $16 for students and 65+; free for members. Tickets are required; some performances are sold out. (Schaefer)

★ Joyce Unleashed: zoe | juniper (Thursday through May 10) Leaving the comfort of its art deco home in Chelsea, the Joyce Theater kicks off an innovative off-site series that will feature three intrepid companies throughout May. First, in a presentation with 3-Legged Dog, is Zoe Scofield and Juniper Shuey, a choreographer-visual artist team from Seattle. They will present “BEGINAGAIN,” a slinky fusion of quick, fragmented movement and alluring projections. Thursday and next Friday at 8 and 10 p.m., May 10 at 7 and 9 p.m., 3LD Art & Technology Center, 80 Greenwich Street, at Rector Street, Lower Manhattan, 212-242-0800, joyce.org; $15. (Schaefer)

‘Keep Your Electric Eye on Me’ (Wednesdays through Saturdays) This multilayered collaboration, spearheaded by Shaun Irons and Lauren Petty, ensconces two performers (Madeline Best and Carlton Ward) in a convoluted technological landscape of video and sound, part recorded and part live. With choreography by Tara O’Con and music by Brian Rogers, this interactive piece weaves a loose narrative about competing realities and attempts to attain the unattainable. (Through May 10.) At 8:30 p.m., Here, 145 Avenue of the Americas, at Dominick Street, South Village, 212-352-3101, here.org; $20. (Burke)

★ LAVA (through Sunday) Dance and acrobatics and feminism and science are each their own distinct worlds, but LAVA has been cleverly combining them with style and humor since 2000. This Brooklyn troupe of female and transgender performers explores geology and ancestry in its new work, “Tracks,” which reimagines the classic hero’s journey, a staple of so many epics. The group does so with the help of a network or ropes, “an underground cave of experimental sound,” and its signature partnering. Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 4 p.m., Dixon Place, 161 Chrystie Street, Lower East Side, 866-811-4111, dixonplace.org; $20 in advance, $23 at the door, $17 for students. (Schaefer)

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Maud Le Pladec (Thursday and next Friday) The ideology of democracy has ancient roots, but as far as modern manifestations go, the French adoption of the principle was particularly dramatic and affecting. In “DEMOCRACY,” the second in a three-part series, this French choreographer questions and critiques that political system with the help of live music. It’ll be presented as part of Danse: A French-American Festival of Performance and Ideas. At 7:30 p.m., New York Live Arts, 219 West 19th Street, Chelsea, 212-924-0077, newyorklivearts.org; $15 to $20. (Schaefer)

Limón Dance Company (through Sunday) This is a milestone year for Roxane D’Orleans Juste, her 30th with the company founded by the modern dance pioneer José Limón. For the occasion, the eloquent Dianne McIntyre has made her a solo, which had its premiere alongside a new work by Sean Curran and two Limón classics: “Mazurkas,” inspired by the choreographer’s trip to Europe after World War II, and “Psalm,” guided by a strong communal spirit and the heroism so typical of early modern dance. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea, 212-242-0800, joyce.org; $10 to $59. (Burke)

Lyon Opera Ballet (Wednesday through next Friday) Extravagantly clad creatures roam a stage strewn with red high-heeled shoes in Christian Rizzo’s “ni fleurs, ni ford-mustang,” performed by this ever adventurous company. Mr. Rizzo flaunts his visual art and fashion design chops in this evocative, mystical world, which makes its United States debut as part of the Danse festival, a decade after its premiere. At 7:30 p.m., Howard Gilman Opera House, Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette Avenue, at Ashland Place, Fort Greene, 718-636-4100, bam.org; $20 to $55. (Schaefer)

★ Movement Research at Judson Church (Mondays) In this weekly gathering, Movement Research, an organization committed to physical exploration in all forms, welcomes viewers to observe work in its embryonic stage. The artists on the docket this week are Jeanine Durning, Deborah Hazler, Phoebe Morris and Saúl Ulerio. (Through June 16.) Mondays at 8 p.m., Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, Greenwich Village, 212-598-0551, movementresearch.org; free, but seating is limited. (Schaefer)

★ New York City Ballet (through June 8) The second week of this company’s spring season welcomes an eclectic “All Balanchine” program, displaying the master’s gifts for both storytelling (“The Steadfast Tin Soldier”) and grand architecture (“Symphony in C”). Of course, all anyone will be talking about is the new work by Justin Peck, the City Ballet soloist-cum-promising choreographer, which will have its premiere at Thursday’s gala. The dance, “Everywhere We Go,” reunites Mr. Peck with the singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, a partnership that has produced inspired results in the past. Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursday’s gala at 7 p.m., David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, 212-496-0600, nycballet.com; $29 to $159. (Schaefer)

Okwui Okpokwasili (Thursday through May 10) “Bronx Gothic,” Ms. Okpokwasili’s dark and piercing exploration of budding sexuality, captivated critics and audiences when it had its premiere in January. Its initial, sold-out run was cut short by illness and postponed, but now Ms. Okpokwasili returns to Danspace Project at St. Mark’s Church to finish what she started, giving those who missed it the first time around a chance to make amends. At 8 p.m., 131 East 10th Street, East Village, 866-811-4111, danspaceproject.org; $25, $20 for members. (Schaefer)

Miki Orihara (Thursday through May 11) Since 1987, Ms. Orihara has been one of the foremost interpreters of the work of Martha Graham. In “Resonance: Miki Orihara Solo Concert,” Ms. Orihara traces the development of modern dance through a string of solos by Graham and her fellow trailblazer José Limón, the contemporary choreographers Martha Clarke and Adam Barruch, and one of Ms. Orihara’s own contributions. Thursday through May 10 at 7:30 p.m., May 11 at 2:30 p.m., La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theater, 66 East Fourth Street, East Village, 212-475-7710, lamama.org; $20, $15 for students. (Schaefer)

Shen Wei Dance Arts (through Sunday) In 2005, the Chinese choreographer and painter Shen Wei created “Map,” a mesmerizing visualization of Steve Reich’s “The Desert Music.” Its astounding complexity and understated drama merit a revival, which Mr. Shen brings us during his company’s season at Judson Memorial Church. With a reimagined aerial set conducive to in-the-round seating and the church’s spare architecture, the 2014 version is unveiled alongside a new solo for Mr. Shen, which displays the fluid technique he has developed and fine-tuned over 10 years. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, Greenwich Village, 866-811-4111, shenweidancearts.org; $25 to $60. (Burke)

Studio Series: Cori Olinghouse (Friday and Saturday) Animation has long pushed the imaginative boundaries of film, but is rarely used in the service of dance. In “The Little Destroyer and a Collection of Others,” a work-in-progress being given an informal public showing as part of New York Live Arts’ Studio Series, Ms. Olinghouse incorporates ideas from 19th-century animation, live drawing and cardboard cutouts in a larger quest for authenticity. At 6 p.m., 219 West 19th Street, Chelsea, 212-924-0077, newyorklivearts.org; $5. (Schaefer)

Claudia Triozzi and David Wampach (Tuesday through Thursday) Ms. Triozzi and Mr. Wampach have worked extensively with the body, but in these back-to-back performances (ticketed separately) each artist choreographs with the voice. Ms. Triozzi’s “Boomerang or le Retour à Soi (the Return to the Self)” is a duet constructed of text, video and sound pulled from a series of interviews, while Mr. Wampach’s “Tour” is a solo of self-made sound. “Boomerang” at 7:30 p.m., “Tour” at 8:45 p.m., Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street, at Pitt Street, Lower East Side, 866-811-4111, abronsartscenter.org; $15 for a single show, $20 for both. (Schaefer)

Annie Vigier and Franck Apertet (through May 10) Is it a performance? Or just life? It might be hard to tell with “Topologie,” a 10-day experiment in which five performers wander the streets of Long Island City, each guided by a distinct itinerary or physical score. All that sets them apart from other pedestrians is their day-in, day-out repetition of these routes and everyday actions. The Chocolate Factory serves as a hub for spectators. Arrive between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., grab a map, and from there, you’re on your own. It’s part of the series Danse: A French-American Festival of Performance and Ideas. Starting at the Chocolate Factory, 5-49 49th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens, 718-482-7069, chocolatefactorytheater.org; free. (Burke)